BY AISHA  MOHAMMED TIFFIN

In an attempt to improve quality of teaching and learning and also grant access to international best practice, Talent Centre, has concluded plans to introduce digital learning for primary and secondary school pupils.

Addressing school owners at an educational stakeholders’ forum, Chief Operations Manager for Talent Centre, Mrs. Ayopeju Njideaka said it is high time schools grabbed the competitive advantages available in the 21st century teaching and learning.

Njideaka said one of the greatest sources of challenges experienced in the education sector is in the fact that emphasis is placed on teaching and not learning and that has resulted in high rate of failure recorded in the past years.  She describes the current pupil as digital natives who should be taught with digital instruments if desired results are to be achieved.

She said that Talent Centre understands that learning should be fun and digitally inclined hence, the introduction of digital learning platforms for late primary school and junior secondary school pupils. She added that there will be Talent Centres in selected schools spread across Lagos for a start where other schools around can take their pupils for learning.

According to her, a Talent Centre comprises of an interactive board, a tablet PC for each student to access the content and an iTutor. She described the platform as a practical platform that makes teaching real to the students.

Also speaking at the forum, a lecturer at the University of Ibadan, Dr. Gloria Adedoja said the use of technology to enhance teaching and learning complements traditional approaches to learning. According to her, effective instruction using the right medium builds bridges between students’ knowledge and the learning objectives of the subject.

Commending the Talent Centre idea, the university lecturer said the advantages are numerous. Dr. Adedoja said technology helps showcase complex ideas in a short period of time, offers both cognitive and affective experiences, connects learners with events that are culturally relevant and connect theories taught in the classroom with real world events and policies.

She said technology also help maintain students’ interest, sharpen their analytical skills, aids student retention of knowledge, motivates interest in the subject matter and enable students see concepts and new examples when they are watching television, listening to music, or are at the movies with friends.

Also speaking at the forum, Professor Francis Egbokhare of the University of Ibadan said the most important factor in the quality of education is the quality of teachers.

According to him, what the education sector is faced with is a case of shortage of teachers and dearth of good quality teachers. He said this is coupled with crisis access, quality, content service and support.